OPEN FORUM: What did you think about President Obama's State of the Union Address?

FALLBROOK - Village News Inc., publisher of the Fallbrook/Bonsall Village News, the Temecula Valley News, and Anza Valley Outlook invites readers to share their opinion of U.S. President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address delivered Tuesday evening, February 12, 2013.

Media with liberal slant has reported:

*Obama understands the economy is still struggling and compared to his demeanor on Inauguration Day, indicated he is willing to "reach out" to the Republican Party.

*The President feels it is time to "close out the politics of austerity," that "we can't cut our way to prosperity."

*Of the ideas he presented, Obama said nothing he was proposing "should increase the U.S. deficit by a single dime," saying the U.S. needs a "smarter" government that sets priorities and invests in growth.

*Obama's use of executive authority to address certain issues more aggressively could be a turning point in dealing with a potentially existential problem.

Media with conservative slant has reported:

*Obama promotes a "balanced approach" to deficit reduction but doesn't provide specifics about budget cuts he will support. He wants more tax revenues and more government spending on his priorities.

*When the President made certain proposals - high-quality preschool for every child, tax credits for businesses to hire/invest, more scientific research and development, shifting vehicles away from gas, and infrastructure investments (road improvements) – he did not reveal their projected cost or how they would be paid for.

*Obama's presentation was repetitive to prior ones - with his ideas going "nowhere" in divided Washington.

*The President said he would utilize his executive power to push his agenda if Congress doesn't support it – saying "If they won't, I will."

The Tea Party weighs in:

Republican Senator Rand Paul gave the Tea Party's rebuttal to President Obama's State of the Union address, which included these talking points:

*Obama exudes 'woe is me" over the $1.2 trillion sequester he endorsed and signed into law. Corporate taxes need to be cut in half; federal spending needs to be slashed by trillions.

* Leaders from each party need to cut spending and be willing to take on their "protected" special interests.

*Cuts can be made in both domestic programs and military spending – these areas are not immune to waste and fraud.

*Obama thinks the U.S. can keep borrowing $50,000 per second and keep squeezing more money out of people who are working. The President believes in more government, more taxes, and more debt.